Wakad residents irked by 45-metre road on paper, encroachments on ground
The road links Wakad with Pimpri-Chinchwad and so is crucial. In 2012, only a 24-metre-road was constructed. However, the open land was encroached and temporary sheds were set up, which have now developed into permanent shops.
Encroachments and constant traffic jams have irked the residents of Wakad.
In order to resolve the issue Sandeep Arun Kaspate, corporator of Prabhag 26 has written a letter to Shravan Hardikar, Pimpri -Chinchwad commissioner to look into the development plan of the road from Wakad chowk (Dutta mandir road) to Dange chowk .
Kaspate said, “This is the second time I have written to the commissioner, to complete the work of the road. The width of the road is supposed to be 45 metres, however, currently the width is only 24 metres.”
According to Kaspate, in 2009, development plan of the road said that the width of the road from Wakad chowk (Dutta mandir road) to Dange chowk would be 45 metres.
The road links Wakad with Pimpri-Chinchwad and so is crucial. In 2012, only a 24-metre-road was constructed. However, the open land was encroached and temporary sheds were set up, which have now developed into permanent shops.
A senior official from Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC), on the basis of anonymity said, “In the development plan, the road connecting Wakad chowk and Dange chowk is 24 metres. But, while sanctioning the housing development, we had shown the road as a proposed 45-metre-road abetting the widening when we had 100 percent possession of the acquired space. There is temporary encroachment which will be removed when we acquire the land.”
Sudhir Deshmukh, a resident of Wakad said, “The road was built with the intention of reducing traffic, however, PCMC has only constructed a part of the road, and have left the residents to tackle the encroachment problem. “All we want, is the PCMC to complete the road as mentioned in the development plan. The road is 1.8 kilometres and there are shops, hotels and slums on both sides of the road.”
K C Garg, secretary, Pimpri-Chinchwad cooperative housing society federation limited said, “There is heavy traffic congestion at Wakad chowk, Uttkarsh chowk and further along the road where it narrows down due to the shanties on either sides. Every day is a nightmare for anyone driving on this road.
“There are no pedestrian crossings, or footpaths on both the sides of the road. We have approached the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation commissioner to look into the matter and clear the encroachments at the earliest.”
